Sand-settling tank



A. L. MUNRO SAND SETTLING TANK Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 1'7, 1921 INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES cfv/Mz Jan. 6. 1925. 1,521,704

A; L. MU N R0 SAND- SETTLING TANK File QV- 17, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES M PAW VENTOR MZQ ATTORN Y Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

ALEXA-NDEBL. HIUNRO, OE MILWAUI ING" WORKS, O? IrIILWAlLTKEE, t -{Ia CQNSIJJ, .41

sAnn-snrrtrne-renn.

FFECIE.

Application filed November 17, 1921. Serial No. 515,325.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Annrmnnnn Lhdcnno,

a subject of the Ilingof England, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sand-Settling Tan-ks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the acoompanyng drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to classifying or dewateni ng sand settling tanks of the tilting pype wherein an accumulation of sand is relied on to overbalance the tankand cause it to tilt and thereby open the discharge valve. e V

A particular object of the invention is to accommodate an uninterrupted flow of material, permitting the clear water to overflow after having been deflected to induce a deposit of sand at a point where it will contribute to the overbalancing influence for opening the discharge valve.

Another object of the invention is to utilize such deflector as a means for locating the surplus material where it will contribute to the overbalancing infiijience for opening the discharge valve at times when the tank has a tendency to become chocked.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the san'i-setttling tank as herein clai.med ,'and all equivalents;

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in different views,

Figure 1 is a central sectional view of a sand settling tank constructed in accordance with" this invention Figure 2 is a plan View thereof, and

Figure 3 is an end view with the counter weight removed. y

In these drawings 10 indicates the settling tank proper, which may, for convenience, be of a hopper shape and preferably, as shown, with one end wall vertical and the opposite wall inclined to direct material toward the vertical wall, and the side walls converging to a discharge opening 11. This tank is pivotally supported on a frame 12 by means of knife edge trunnions 13 on the opposite sides rocking in suitable bearings 14. The trunnions are located considerably back of the center of the tank so that the vertical wall end of the tank overweighs the other. This end of the tank is therefore counterbalanced by means of aweight 15 on lever 16 fulcrumed at 17 on the-frame and having astirrup or link 18 connecting its shorter end with a hook 19 on the vertical wall-of the tank.

A bell crank lever on the vertical wall of the tankycarries a rubber-faced valve 21 to c-lose the discharge opening 11 of the tank and this lever is c'onnected by means of a connecting. rod22 with the lever 16 1n such a manner that the moveto 20 pivotally mounted ment of lever 16 to lift the weight 15- serves to withdraw the valve from its seat tempermit a partial discharge of the contents of the tank through the discharge opening. A stop 22 is provided to limit the movement of the bell crank and',"'by its adjustment, determine the degree ofopeni ng of the valve 21. v

Preferably a vertical partition 23 extends across the tank in the neighborhood of the trunnions and some distance ,above the inclined end wall to form a bafiie or deflector normally requiring thematerial to pass be.- neath it as such material travels through the tank from the vertical end vwall thereof toward the inclined endwallL 'Material inay be delivered to the .largerend of thetank by a trough 24 or other suitable means and,

after passing beneath the part'ition23 and after depositing the: heavier solids inthe bottom of the tank, it flows out through; a discharge spout 25 at the upper end of the inclined end wall, As the sand and heavier solids whichrsettle infthe bottom of the tank are caused by the formation of the tank'to gather at the larger end thereof, this end will gradually become heavier until?v the counter-weight can no longer balance it, when the tank will swing on its pivotal mounting and slightly lift the counterweight. This movement: of the counterweight and tank causes the connecting rod 22 to pull on the bell crank 20 and open the valve 21, permitting the sand in a comparatively dewatered state to discharge through the discharge opening 11. When enough of the sand has been discharged in this manner to restore equilibrium the counter-weight again returns the tank to its normal position, closing the valveor partly closing it. so that the accumulated sand is discharged intermittently or, under favorable conditions, continuously at the rate it is being fed 5 t0 t e nk,

The deflector prevents the sand and other solids in suspension from being carried by the current of water directly to the discharge spout, requiring it instead to duck beneath it, thus facilitating'its separation and deposit. Should the mound of sand build up beneath the partition without causing the operation of the discharge valve, the restriction to the flow beneath the partition would causethe material to back up behind the partition and so add its weight to the larger end of the tank to aid in overcoming the balance weight, thus opening the valve and relieving the congested condition. :is the downward movement of the tank moves the discharge opening away from the valve as well as moving the valve away from the opening, it is evident that the control is very sensitive.

' By this means water-carried sand may be classified or dewatered with a continuous I operation with automatic control.

tank, and a connecting rod connecting the valve with the counter-weight lever. V

2. In combination, a hoppenshaped tank ha ing a discharge opening at its bottom and pivotally supported nearer one end than the other, a partition acrossthe tank with space between its lower edge and the bottom of the tank adapted to be closed by sand and with its upper edge lower than the upper edge oi the tank but higher than the discharge opening, a suitably fulcrumed counter-weight having connection with the larger end of the tank, a bell crank lever tulcrumed on the tank, a valve carried thereby for closing the discharge opening, and a r link connecting the bell crank lever with the coLmter-weight lever.

3; In combination, a tank having an inclined bottom with a discharge opening the lowest point thereof, trunnions on the sides of the tank on which the tank is pivotally mounted, a partition extending across the tank and spaced from the inclined bottom and having its upper edge lower than the upper edge of the tank but higher than the dischar e opening to raise the level of the contents of the tank at one end thereof, and a valve for closing the discharge opening operated by the pivotal movements the tank.

l. In combination, a tank having an inclined bottom with a discharge opening at its lower end and an overflow spout at its upper end, trunnions on the sides of the tank on which it is pivotally mounted, a partition extending across the tank and spaced from the inclined bottom, a hook on the deeper end of the tank, a suitably tulcr-nmed counter-weight lever, alink connecting the counter-weight lever with the hook, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on the tank, a valve carried thereby for closing the discharge opening, an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of the bel crank lever, and a link connecting the counte r-weight lever with the bell crank lever. V i

5. In combination, a hoppershaped tank with pivotal supports, having a discharg opening at or near its bottom, a valve connected to and operated by said tank to! opening and closing said discharge opening. a wall in said tank dividing same into wo compartments connected by a passage below said wall, said wall being so placed that. the accumulationot sand will gradnallr close the passage between the said compartments, whereby the increase in the volume of water in the'first compartment, in com bination with the accumulated sand, will cause the tank to tilt and discharge a portion of its contents.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALEXANDER L. MUNRO. 

